In Cosenza the “Futura 2024” scholarships were awarded. First the student Simona Tolomeo

John

By John

The student of the “Lucrezia della Valle” Art High School, Simona Ptolemyis the first place winner of the second edition of the “Futura 2024” competition that the municipal administration of Palazzo dei Bruzi, led by the mayor Franz Carusopromoted, together with a solidarity network of 38 voluntary associations that operate not only in the city, but also in the province. The winner was chosen by a judging commission chaired by Professor Gisella Floriopresident of the National Award “Lello Nigro” city of Castrolibero. The awarding of the scholarships – three in total – took place yesterday at the Museum of the Brettii and Enotri, in the presence of the welfare councilor of the municipality of Cosenza, Veronica Buffoonrepresenting Mayor Caruso, and coordinated by the Mayor’s delegate for Culture, Antonietta Mussel which linked the different moments of the long ceremony.

The recipients of the project’s scholarships were students hosted in family homes or educational communities in the social-welfare area of ​​Cosenza, who attended high schools this year and are graduating. The purpose of “Futura 2024” is very noble: to support, with a cash prize, the result of the collection of the associations involved, the young people leaving the welfare circuit, as a way of accompanying them towards autonomy and work experience. An objective that was first set by the Association “L’Albero dei Sorrisi ODV”, leader of the network of associations that supported the project, with the vice president Emilia Pietramalathe true soul of the initiative, supported by the National Award Association “Lello Nigro” city of Castrolibero of which Professor Florio is president. The idea was immediately embraced and welcomed by both the mayor and the councilor Buffone.

Catanzaro native, who has lived in Cosenza for 9 years, a guest of the “S. Teresa” educational community of the Suor Elena Aiello Institute, a student of the “Lucrezia della Valle” Art High School, Simona Tolomeo, the first place winner, just yesterday concluded her final exams. A woman of few words, Simona, on the other hand, has very clear ideas. She has written an essay, in the form of a newspaper article, on war and politely, but very firmly, expresses her harsh condemnation of the conflicts that afflict the entire world. “There are the powerful people of the world who decide its destiny, but I believe that much more can be done for peace than has been done so far” – said Simona Tolomeo – In her opinion, diplomacy should be entrusted with the task of weaving the web of peace processes. Simona would welcome an even more direct descent into the field by the Holy Father, even beyond the continuous appeals launched to pursue the objective of peace and put an end to the ongoing conflicts. In her future plans, two goals above all, one linked to the other: the next enrollment in the university course of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Calabria and the commitment to help her sixteen-year-old sister who lives with her. In her essay, Simona Tolomeo said that in February 2022 she saw first-hand the pain of people forced to leave their country and their loved ones to take refuge in Italy, participating as a volunteer in a project to welcome Ukrainian mothers and children. And in her article she also expressed “the anger felt towards those powerful people – she writes – who, in order to achieve their goals, did not take into account the suffering caused to civilians”.

Second place in “Futura 2024”, Arianna Cambreaa student at the “Telesio” Classical High School. Her “no” to war and violence is shouted in an essay that traces conflicts from ancient civilizations to the present day and the wars that afflict Ukraine and Palestine. The third special scholarship, almost an out of competition, went to Claudio Fortino, a nineteen-year-old native of Cariati and of Moroccan origins who last year obtained his high school diploma at the Valentini-Majorana High School in Castrolibero with an excellent grade. Claudio was a guest of the “L’Arca” Family Home in Celico and was last year the only recipient of the “Futura” scholarship, an award that helped him begin his path as a university student in Tourism Sciences where he recently took an exam with honors. During the speeches that followed, Antonietta Cozza highlighted the extraordinary solidarity network of associations that supported the project, the result of the activism of the Association “L’albero dei sorriso Odv” and the National Award “Lello Nigro”. “This initiative – reiterated Antonietta Cozza – allows us to see first-hand the constant presence of associations on the territory, their important role and, above all, their commitment. 38 associations are a treasure that must be paid attention to”.

“When you network and work together for a single goal – added Councilor Veronica Buffone – the results are not long in coming and are easily achieved. We are proud to have given our contribution to a very noble cause, giving support to young people who live with fragility and who, thanks to these scholarships, we intend to accompany on the path out of educational communities and in approaching the world of work. Now let’s move forward all together”. For Pino Veltri, President of the Association “L’Albero dei Sorrisi”, “we have managed to obtain a result that represents a unicum in our territory, where 38 associations have gathered together to carry forward a project worthy of the highest consideration. Associationism is giving so much to our communities that need the third sector whose important role must be recognized”. Great satisfaction was expressed both by Emilia Pietramala, architect of this authentic miracle, who thanked the entire network of associations involved, and by Professor Gisella Florio. “We wanted to continue – Florio underlined – on the path that we had already traced from the last edition, with the firm will to accompany these young people on a path of autonomy, whether they decide to continue their studies or whether they approach the world of work. We are also comforted by the first results obtained. And a tangible example is given by Claudio Fortino which we had already awarded last year and which has found its dimension here in Calabria by successfully attending the first year of Tourism Sciences at the University of Calabria”. The professor Silvana Galluccirepresenting the “Telesio” high school, congratulated the three winners, focusing in particular on Arianna Cambrea who comes from Telesio where Gallucci teaches. “Having networked almost 40 associations – she underlined – means achieving an incredible result, but it also means having promoted the culture of beauty”. Among the other speakers, those of Chiara Malluzzo, representing AIL, of Francesca DanielePresident of the Association “Confluenze”, of Patricia Garritano who read a message from the Superintendent of Education of Cosenza, Loredana Giannicola, unable to attend.

Before the closing, a special award was also given to Gianni Romeo who recently concluded his mandate at the helm of CSV, after 8 years as President.

The event was enriched by some musical interludes, first by the contralto singer Federico Francesco Viapianaand then of the musical group “Never Toolate”, led by Francis Romeo on the sax and also composed of Peter Barbieri on drums, Michael Grandinetti on the bass, Antonio Nucaro on the guitar and Joseph Gallo on the keyboards.